The teachings in accordance with exemplary and non-limiting embodiments of this invention relate generally to a driver IC device, and more particularly, to a driver IC device including correction function configured to correct an output value of pixel by being applied to a small display panel having a plurality of pixels.
In general, a display panel displays information through a screen, and is widely used in home electric appliances. Recently, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) is commonly used as one example of display panels.
In general, an LCD is a display device developed to substitute a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) used as a monitor for a TV or a computer and is widely used in industries due to advantages of ease in light weight, high quality achievement and low power consumption. Particularly, concomitant with expansion of continued demands on mobile communication terminals such as mobile phones and PDAs, markets for small display panels mounted on the mobile communication terminals are exponentially expanded.
Meantime, one of the core elements mandatorily necessary for driving of a display panel is a display driver IC device (hereinafter referred to as “driver IC device”). The driver IC device, as illustrated in FIG. 1, is a semiconductor providing a driving signal and a data to a display panel as an electric signal (multi high voltage level signal) to allow a character or an image to be displayed on a screen, and a core part necessary for display driving in various methods such as LCDs, PDPs and OLEDs. However, the conventional driver IC has simply functioned to provide a driving signal and a data to a display panel as an electric signal to allow characters or images to be displayed on a screen, and has had a limit by not providing a function of searching and correcting a defect from a plurality of pixels on a display panel.
The present invention is provided to solve the aforementioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a driver IC device including correction function configured to accurately correct an output value of a pixel within a unit-block by using respective gain values and offset values for the plurality of unit-blocks set by being divided to preset units, and a coordinate value of a correction route (LUT) having a plurality of sub-regions arranged in the same form in response to an arrangement of the pixels included in the unit-blocks.
In one general aspect of the present invention, there is provided a driver IC device including a correction function that corrects an output value of pixel by being applied to a small display panel having a plurality of pixels, comprising:
a unit-block setting unit for dividing pixels of a display panel into preset units so as to set the same as a plurality of unit-blocks;
a correction route (LUT) setting unit for setting a LUT having a plurality of sub-regions arranged in the same form in response to an arrangement of the pixels included in the unit-blocks set through the unit-block setting unit;
a storage unit for storing the LUT set through the LUT setting unit, and storing respective gain values and offset values for the plurality of unit-blocks set through the unit-block setting unit;
a changing unit for changing an input value (input gray) inputted to the pixels of the display panel, by using the gain values and offset values stored in the storage unit; and
a correction output unit for generating correction output value (output gray) of the pixels in the unit-blocks of the display panel by using a change value obtained through the changing unit and a coordinate value of the LUT set through the LUT setting unit.
Preferably, but not necessarily, the change value changed through the changing unit may be a real number-type gray value and an integer-type gray value.
Preferably, but not necessarily, the real number-type gray value may be generated by adding a value in which an input value (input gray) inputted to pixels within a unit-block and gain values to the unit-block stored in the storage unit are multiplied, to an offset value to the unit-block.
Preferably, but not necessarily, the real number-type gray value may be a real number value by excluding a decimal number from the real number-type gray value.
Preferably, but not necessarily, the correction output unit may generate a correction output value (output gray) of pixel within a unit-block of display panel set using the following Equation 1, based on the change value that has changed the input value (input gray) inputted to the pixel within the unit-block through the changing unit, and a coordinate value of correction route set through the correction route setting unit.
                    OG        =                  {                                                                                                                I                      gray                                        +                    1                                    ,                                                                                    (                                                                              F                            gray                                                    -                                                      I                            gray                                                                          )                                            ×                      BS                                        >                                          (                                                                                                    I                            y                                                    ×                          BHS                                                +                                                  I                          x                                                                    )                                                                                                                                                                                                              I                                                  gray                          ,                                                                    ⁡                                              (                                                                              F                            gray                                                    -                                                      I                            gray                                                                          )                                                              ×                    BS                                    ≤                                      (                                                                                            I                          y                                                ×                        BHS                                            +                                              I                        x                                                              )                                                                                                          [                  Equation          ⁢                                          ⁢          1                ]            
where, OG: correction output value (output gray), BS: entire size of unit-block, BHS: crosswise size of unit-block, Fgray: real number type gray value, Igray: integer type gray value, Ix: x coordinate value of correction route, Iy: y coordinate value of correction route
Preferably, but not necessarily, the correction route setting unit may set one correction route having a plurality of sub-regions arranged in a same shape corresponding to arrangement of a plurality of pixels included in the unit-block set through the unit-block setting unit.
Preferably, but not necessarily, the unit-block setting unit may form the plurality of unit-blocks in all the same shape (form).
The driver IC device including correction function according to the present invention has an advantageous effect in that an output value of a pixel within a unit-block can be accurately corrected by correcting an output value of pixels within a unit-block, using respective gain values and offset values for the plurality of unit-blocks set by being divided to preset units, and a coordinate value of a correction route (LUT) having a plurality of sub-regions arranged in the same form in response to an arrangement of the pixels included in the unit-blocks.